Antonio Conte said what Chelsea fans have been hoping for by stating his desire to stay at Stamford Bridge for ‘many, many years’.
With Chelsea flying high at the top of the Premier League and in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup, it is safe to say that the club are currently in a good place. Speaking ahead of the Blues’ clash with West Ham, Antonio Conte sought to make the fans even happier by revealing his long term plans.
Asked about Roman Abramovich’s sacking history, Conte seemed unperturbed. Instead, he expressed his desire to be Chelsea’s manager for a long time.
"When you start working at a new club, you hope to stay many, many years because it means you are working very well.You have the possibility to improve your players, to improve your team, and to grow together. I think this season we are doing this.We are putting a great foundation down for the present and, above all, for the future. – via Evening Standard"
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Conte has certainly been laying down a solid foundation. Ever since the switch to the back three, Chelsea have looked increasingly impressive as players have continued to adapt to their new roles.
The team was always expected to evolve into this formation and fortunately they have done so with comfort. The next step is supposedly to morph into a 3-5-2 and, given Chelsea’s current success, there should be no problem with this.
Conte has provided the Blues with a new purpose and new direction since arriving. After last season’s debacle, Chelsea were in desperate need of a hard reset. Although this campaign started on a rocky road, the tactical change during that infamous Arsenal defeat did just that.
Now, the West Londoners are dominating the league and are preparing for the rigours of European football next term. Conte appears to have the whole squad behind him, even players like Michy Batshuayi who have enjoyed less football than they would have wanted.
The Italian seems like the ideal candidate to settle down for an Alex Ferguson-esque stint. At the age of 47, Conte has already won in other leagues and managed at the international level. If this Chelsea project continues on this trajectory, there will be little reason for him to seek work elsewhere.
However, Blues fans have experience at first-hand of how matters in football can turn south quickly. Jose Mourinho was supposed to be at Stamford Bridge until he retired, but that did not happen. What do you think? Could Antonio Conte actually be here for the long haul? Let us know in the comments!